Retrobottega

Adams Morgan has a number of good Italian restaurants, but Retrobottega is the best. Cozy up in the restaurant’s snug dining nook where you can impress your date with front-row seats into the open kitchen. And if you really want to show off, order the charred octopus as an appetizer—it’s got this incredible smoky flavor—and the oxtail lasagna because it’s oxtail lasagna (and also really good). That way, even if your date turns out to be a bit of a dud, at least you've scored yourself a fabulous meal. We call that self-love.